Pope Francis urges developed world to live a simpler, less materialistic life

Condemning the huge divide between the world’s rich and poor, Pope Francis urged the people of the rich world to live a simpler and less materialistic life.

In his Christmas message, the 82-year-old head of the Roman Catholic church urged Christians to remember Jesus’ humble birth story.

“Standing before the manager, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love, not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity,” he told nearly 10,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican during the traditional Christmas Eve Mass.

The first Pope from the Latin Americas, Francis has consistently focused on the issues of poverty and inequality.

Urging people to follow a life of “sharing and giving”, he said: “Let us ask ourselves: Do I really need all these material objects and complicated recipes for the living? Can I manage without all these unnecessary extras and live a life of greater simplicity?